The federal ministry of labour and employment has decried the non-enactment of the Nigeria Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) bill by the National Assembly to protect employees in all sectors of the economy.
Adogu Lauretta, director of factories, federation/occupational safety and health, speaking in Abuja, expressed concern that the existing legal frameworks were out-dated in their provisions, noting that some penalties were also not deterrent enough to erring employers.
This bill is expected to put in place a legal framework that will develop and promote occupational safety standards. It also has measures to ensure that employers provide preventive mechanisms and procedures that will limit accidents and injuries at work places.
The bill also aims to combat child labour and contain hazardous work prohibited to persons less than 18 years, as well as harmonise the various laws governing OSH presently under the Factories Act, CAP F1, 2004 and the Employees Compensation Act, 2010.
Nigeria currently has in place a national policy on occupational safety and health developed in 2006.
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Speaking at a workshop on effective reportage on the promotion of safety and health in workplaces, organised by the ministry, for journalists, Lauretta stressed the importance of occupational safety.
This, she said, can be achieved through workplace inspections, accident investigations, safety and health awareness campaigns, workplace safety and health audit, as well as developing policies, regulations, guidelines, codes of practice and other instruments with a view to preventing the occurrence of work related accidents, injuries, diseases/ill health, and deaths.
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